U.S. President Donald Trump says he doesn’t “really care” who wins the next general election in Canada, but that he prefers a Liberal at the helm, saying they would be “easier” to deal with.
Trump made the comments during an interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham. During the program, which aired March 18, Ingraham questioned the president’s stance on Canada among a range of other topics.
Ingraham had commented that the Liberal Party in Canada now appears poised to win in the next election after it was “down and out.” She added that the Trump administration imposing tariffs on Canada could make it more hostile to the United States and push it towards stronger relations China, which she said would “really put us in a bind.”
Trump interjected that he'd “rather deal with a Liberal than a Conservative.”
“The Conservative that’s running is stupidly no friend of mine,” he said in reference to Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre. Trump added that Poilievre has said “negative things” about him but that he “couldn’t care less.”
“I think it’s easier to deal actually, with a Liberal, and maybe they’re going to win, but I don’t really care. It doesn’t matter to me at all,” he said.
Trump has repeatedly said in recent months that Canada should merge with the United States to become its “51st state” and has imposed two sets of tariffs on its northern neighbour. Amid the tariff threats, and following the resignation of former Prime Minister and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, the ruling Liberal Party has closed a wide gap in the polls with the Conservatives, with some now putting them ahead in voter intentions.
Trump had previously commented on the Tory leader in a magazine interview in late February, saying he was not a fan of Poilievre because he’s “not a MAGA guy,” something Poilievre later confirmed.
Poilievre also reacted to Trump’s latest comments about a Liberal being easier to deal with than a Conservative.
51st State
Trump again spoke about what he sees as the benefits of making Canada a state during his interview on Fox News.He also commented on his interactions with the previous Liberal government under Trudeau, appearing to contradict his earlier remarks on dealing with the Liberals.
“I deal with every country, indirectly or directly,” Trump said. “One of the nastiest countries to deal with is Canada,” he said, adding that Trudeau and “his people were nasty.”
“And they weren’t telling the truth. They never told the truth,” the president added, saying Canadian officials would tell him they “don’t charge,” in an apparent reference to tariffs.
“They charge us numbers that are crazy,” Trump said in discussing Canadian tariffs on U.S. dairy products. Dairy, poultry, and eggs are tightly managed under the supply management system in Canada.
Asked about his “end game” with Canada, Trump said he doesn’t want to have a big trade deficit. Trump put the trade deficit with Canada at US$200 billion, while Ingraham countered that it was US$60 billion.
“You say $60 [billion] and I say $200 [billion]—but it doesn’t matter,” Trump said. “I don’t want us to pay $60 or $200 billion to a country that if they were a state, think of this, [it] will be our biggest, most beautiful, it would be great.”
Proposing solutions to boost Canada’s economy and independence in the context of Trump’s tariffs is a key theme emerging politically in Canada as a general election draws closer.
Prime Minister Mark Carney weighed in on March 18 on what he believes Trump seeks to obtain from Canada.
Carney said he thinks Trump wants to end the fentanyl crisis in his country, wants good-paying jobs for Americans, hopes to attract more investments, and seeks to repatriate industries. “And I fully respect that,” Carney added.
“I think he will respect that as prime minister of Canada, I want to end the fentanyl crisis in Canada, I want to grow good, high paying jobs in Canada, and of course, I want to protect, with my colleagues, and reaffirm and reinforce our sovereignty of all of Canada.”
Carney said this would be a starting point in any future discussion with Trump. Carney was sworn-in as prime minister on March 14 and the two leaders have yet to speak.
Carney travelled to France and the United Kingdom shortly after taking office. He made the comments on Trump during a return stop-over in Iqaluit on March 18, to announce plans to boost military presence in the Arctic.
